Parking garage construction



Sept. 3, 1968 s. FORST 3, ,73

PARKING GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1965 United States Patent O a 3,399,789 PARKING GARAGE. CONSTRUCTION Solomon Forst, 666 W. 188th St New York, N.Y. 10040 I. Filed July 21, 1965, Ser. N 0. 473,682 1'Claim. (Cl. 214-161) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE may be aligned therewith for entry or discharge of vehicles, and powered means for moving said helical platforms independently of each other- This invention relates generally to the field of parking garages, and more particularly to an improved form thereof capable of parking a very large number of cars over a limited area. Devices of this general type are known in the art, and the invention lies in the specific constructional details permitting improved utilization of the available ground space, and the absence of vertical lift elevators.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a parking garage in which cars are radially positioned upon a continuous spiral ramp, the ramp being movable in screw-like fashion to advance continuous portions thereof past an opening in a wall of the building, whereby cars may be driven onto and off the ramp by merely positioning the desired section of the ramp in front of the opening.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved parking garage construction including a plurality of concentrically disposed movable spiral ramps, each of which is independently movable to permit positioning of a desired Segment of the spiral opposite aligned openings in corresponding concentrically disposed circular walls, whereby cars may be driven from one ramp to another and outwardly of the garage without disturbing the position of other cars on preselected portions of any of the spiral ramps.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the Provision of an improved parking garage construction in which the cost of fabrication, while not beyond consideration, is relatively low on the basis of a large number of cars which may be parked within the structure.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved parking garage construction in which the mechanical components thereof are relatively simple, whereby the relatively infrequent servicing required may be conveniently performed.

A feature of the invention lies in the ready adaptation of the disclosed embodiment to situations involving corner plots whereby entrance and exit openings may be positioned to face different streets.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, as seen from the plane 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view as seen from the plane -33 in FIGURE 1.

In accordance with the invention, the disclosed embodiment, generally indicated by reference character 10, is in the form of a circular building and is most conveniently positioned, as seen in FIGURE 1, upon a corner plot 11 facing on first and second streets 12 and '13, respectively, whereby the same may provide first and second exit-entrances 14 and 15, respectively.

The building includes an outer circular wall member 17 bounded by an outer surface 18 and an inner surface 19 of predetermined height (not indicated), a portion 20 of which extends below grade in a circular recess in the adjoining ground 21. The above grade portion 22 is of corresponding height, and may be provided with a roof (not shown). In the preferred form, a pair of entrance openings 23 and 23a extend through the member 17, each having a corresponding ramp 24 and 24a, respectively, at slightly different levels.

Positioned concentrically with respect to the wall member 17 is an intermediate circular wall 25 having an outwardly disposed surface 26 and an inwardly disposed surface 27. Disposed opposite the inner surface 27 is a third or inner circular wall 28 enclosing a core of earth or concrete 29 centrally of the outer surface 30 thereof.

The inner surface 19 of the member 17 is provided with a spiral rail 31 positioned in co-planar relationship with respect to a second spiral rail 32 mounted on the outer surface 26 of the wall 25. In similar fashion, the spiral rails 33 and 34 are mounted on the inner surface of the wall 25 and outer surface 30 of the wall 28. Supported by the first-mentioned pair of rails 31-32 is an outer helical platform 35 which may be formed to include steel girders (not shown) and preferably a paved upper service 37. The platform 35 also includes an outer edge surface 38, an inner edge surface 39 and a lower surface 40 mounting roller bearings 41 engaging the rail 31 and similar bearings 42 engaging the rail 32. A recessed helical rack 43 is positioned at the outer edge surface 38, the same engaging a pinion 44 on a shaft 45 driven by an electric motor 46 in response to suitable switch means (not shown) of well-known type, which will enable the platform 35 to be moved while supported by the rails 31 and 32 to position the segment of the upper surface 37 upon which a desired car is parked opposite one of the openings 23-23a to permit its removal and the subsequent positioning of another car. It will be observed that by providing the motor 46 with suitable gear reduction to the shaft 45, and owing to the fact that the helix angle of the platform 35 is quite low, the motor 46 need only overcome the usual inertia of the platform and the parked cars during operation, so that the forces required are substantially similar whether the platform is being moved upwardly or downwardly.

The inner helical platform 36 is of substantially similar construction, although owing to the fact that it is constructed on a narrower radius than the platform 35, its car-carrying capacity is correspondingly reduced. The platform 36 includes an upper surface 47, an outer edge surface 48, an inner edge surface 49 and a lower surface 50 having roller bearings 51 engaging the rail 33 and roller bearings 52 engaging the rail 34. A helical rack 53 corresponds to the rack 43, and is driven by a pinion 54 on a shaft 55 which forms part of a gear reduction train (not shown) driven by the electric motor 57.

Operation of the device will be evident from a consideration of the drawings. To obtain a car from the outer helical platform 35, it is necessary only to operate the motor 46 to bring the same to the desired entrance 14-15.

Where a car is desired from the inner helical platform 36, the same is advanced in a similar fashion and the outer helical platform is moved to provide a clear space thereacross. Depending upon the axial location of the platforms, they will either extend into the ground or into the wall 17 disposed above ground, as required.

I Wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. Parking garage construction comprising: a vertically disposed generally circularly-shaped building having vehicle entrance-exit means, a first outer wall, there being an opening extending through said outer wall at said entrance-exit means, a second concentrically disposed inner wall, a pair of helical tracks mounted in opposed relation upon an inner surface of said first wall, and an outer surface of said second wall; a first planar helical vehicle parking platform disposed between said first and second walls, and supported by said pair of helical tracks; reversible motor means having an output shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a curvilinear rack on an edge of said helical platform engaging said pinion; a third concentrically disposed inner wall, a pair of spiral track means on .an inner surface of said second wall and an outer surface of said third wall, a second helical vehicle parking platform supported by said last-mentioned track means, and similar motor means for moving said second helical platform independently of said first helical platform, said second wall having an opening therethrough at said entrance-exit means for entry and exit of a vehicle to and from said second platform via said vehicle entranceexit means and along a selected vacant space of said first vehicle parking platform; operation of either of said reversible motor means in either direction serving to advance a preselected portion of a selected one of said parking platforms to a location directly opposite said entrance-exit means for the entry or exit of a .vehicle to or from the selected vehicle parking platform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,080 5/1908 Wheeler 198l36 1,772,110 8/1930 Randle 21416.1 2,641,351 6/1953 Riley l98l36 XR 2,788,140 4/1957 Becker 214--16.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 917,625 2/1963 Great Britain. 1,240,859 8/1960 France.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. B. JOHNSON, Assistant Exmniner. 

